Would spending a few nights In Chamonix then heading to Berner Oberland for a few nights make sense? Torn between doing both locations or just doing one location. It would be in September or early October. Focus would be on mountain scenery and doing a few easy walks.
Posted by
Moncton NB
1027 posts
I've stayed in both, and as amazing as Chamonix is, I would choose Murren in the Berner Oberland. Chamonix ties in better if you are coming from or going to Italy.
Posted by
Irving
2943 posts
It's doable by train but it will take an entire day.
Posted by
Noblesville, Indiana, USA
1360 posts
If only 4 nights then I'd stay in one place. If 5 or more nights then I'd do both. BTW I've only visited the Berner Oberland - stayed 4 nights in Wenger and would recommend.
Posted by
Wisconsin
454 posts
On the Swiss rail website, if you put in Lauterbrunnen as your departure station and Chamonix as your destination, you will see that you can get there in the range of 3.75 - 4.25 hours with five train changes. We have both the Berner Oberland and Chamonix on the itinerary of a trip we are planning to take in September of next year. So far our trip includes fight nights in Murren, followed by 2 in Chamonix, followed by 7 in Provence. We're now working on the pre-Murren part of the trip and thinking that it may involve a flight into Milan, 1-2 nights in Varenna, the Bernina Express rail journey from Tirano to Chur with an overnight stop on the route, and 2 to 3 nights in Lucerne. My husband and I have been to both the Berner Oberland and Chamonix before and now we are returning to re-explore these areas with friends. If I were forced to choose between Chamonix and the Berner Oberland, I'd pick the latter, especially since you are interested in "easy" walks. The hike we took to Lac Blanc in Chamonix was supposed to be fairly easy, mostly downhill, but we found it to be quite a challenge and the whole loop took all afternoon, when it was supposed to take about 2 and a half hours. I hope you don't have choose because Chamonix is wonderful, especially if you can work in a day trip to the lovely nearby lake village of Annecy. I really don't think it will take you all day to travel between the Berner Oberland and Chamonix unless you miss a number of your rail connection.
Posted by
OP
84 posts
Thank you all for your timely and detailed feedback. It’s educated me on rail connections and how stressful it might be to do both locations in one trip. At my age and with a bad back, five train changes would be challenging with baggage 😬
I am now leaning toward doing one trip doing Lyon, Annecy & Chamonix and another separate trip the following year to Berner Oberland and northern Italy.